Where do you want to go?

Closer and closer we creep to a winner and a treat! We have some super competitors today! Let's get ready to VVVVVooooooooote!

Freedom Bracket:
Iowa or Arizona

Independence Bracket:
Florida or Illinois

Liberty Bracket:
Mississippi or New York

Vote over there------>>>>>>

I am kicking myself for not squeezing in sometime yesterday to update the brackets. I'm going off the notes in my Planner Pad. I do know that we will have a winner next Friday!!!

Just the Vote...

Hello! Happy Boring Tuesday. Time to eliminate 3 more states. Go ahead.

VOTE over there-------->>>

Freedom: New Hampshire vs. Iowa...where?

Independence: Nevada vs. Florida...what happens in Vegas or Mickey Mouse!

Liberty: Mississippi vs. Connecticut...you tell me...

VOTE over there -------->>>

Attention all Passengers!!!

All passengers from Utah, Indiana, Mississippi, North Dakota and Arkansas please report to your appointed decks and tell us what makes your state the Taste of USA!

We started our week out in one of my states, Utah where my friends Rich and Ginger said hello. And, our regular, Cassie P. told us about her grandfather live in Utah. Cassie, what city does he live in?

Then we visited Indiana where Heather's husband Bal is from. Heather, I think we are going to be great friends. I was a band geek (but in our small town everyone was a band geek). I played the french horn. Heather also filled us in on the "leaf watch" for spectacular fall foliage. And lastly, Santa Clause, Indiana home to Holiday World Theme Park. Sounds like fun. Cassie added, "GO COLTS!" and told us about Lincoln's boyhood home and the Strawberry Festival in Starlight. What exactly is Huber's again?



How was Jack Johnson, Cassie? Was John Mellencamp there?



We then cruised over to Mississippi where according to Heather, IT'S HOT! Pascagoula! I love the sound of that word.

And not one of our readers has been to Arkansas or North Dakota because if someone had been to either of those states surely they would have left a comment yesterday. ;)

I know what you're thinking... Darn, my state already passed! Don't worry. Stay tuned in for the make up day.

Welcome to the Magnolia State!

Do they still teach this in school? M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-hump back, hump back, I.

Named for the second longest river that boarders the west coast of the state, Mississippi is heavily forested. The state is also known as the lowlands because the highest point is only 806 feet above sea level. The state has had a history of flooding dating back over 200 years. Mississippi is a state deep rooted in it's history and they are doing their best to preserve it.

Do you know where the Teddy Bear originated? Right there in Mississippi, that's where! The story goes like this. Teddy Roosevelt went down to the Mississippi area to settle a border dispute. I guess Teddy was an avid hunter and while he was there the local folks wanted to take Teddy hunting. Hunting for bears. But, the hunting was poor. Someone actually captured a bear, probably a cub and offered the cub to Teddy to shoot. Teddy refused as it wasn't a sporting shoot. The cartoon below was published in the Washington Post and it then was published all across the US catching everyone's attention. The Mitchom's up in New York were inspired to make a little stuffed bear and they named it Teddy. Voila!

Old plantation style homes like The Verandah Curlee House are spread throughout the state. The one pictured below is Dunleith Plantation in Natchez. If you are going to be in a certain area of Mississippi you can search for historical home tours and many other historical attractions HERE.

In the Hills Region, we'll find Corinth. Somebody tell me what a Slug Burger is! Hey, I don't know but it's a festival!

Mississippi claims to be the home of the Blues. Does that sound familiar to anyone else? They have something called the Mississippi Blues Trail where the commission is putting up markers all over the states historical sites that represent the growth of the blues. I know we talked about Elvis and the blues in Tennessee but Elvis was actually born and raised in Mississippi. And both Tennessee and Mississippi claim to be the birthplace of the blues.... I think y'all should arm wrestle over it!

The largest city in Mississippi and the state capital is Jackson. I don't want to plagiarize their travel brochure so you should just check it out yourself. Jackson has lots of cultural events and attractions, you sure not to be bored.

I tend to forget that Mississippi was also hit hard by Hurricane Katrina but it was. The rusty-trusty Internet says that all counties in Mississippi were declared a disaster area. Wow! I was just reading on about all the destruction that Katrina caused the coastal areas and it's just insane. What great strength the members of towns like Biloxi show by rebuilding their communities.

What do you think about this fun little fact. Mississippi's Coastal area claims the Magnolia State Rocker... the largest rocking chair standing 35 feet tall made out of real pine. That chair was made for Paul Bunyan.

I'm sure that I am missing a 1,000 quaint little spots and historical notes... share what you know!

Mississippi's fun facts include the Magnolia as the state flower, the state toy is the teddy bear, and the state bird is the Mockingbird.

All Mississippians meet on the Magnolia Deck Friday, June 13th to tell us what makes Mississippi the Taste of USA!

M - I - crooked letter - crooked letter - I - crooked letter - crooked letter - I - hump back - hump back - I!